[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 7, 2012)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 6019-6021]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-2753]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 665

[Docket No. 110826540-2069-02]
RIN 0648-XA674


Western Pacific Fisheries; 2012 Annual Catch Limits and 
Accountability Measures

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Final specifications.

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SUMMARY: In this rule, NMFS specifies annual catch limits for western 
Pacific bottomfish, crustacean, precious coral, and coral reef 
ecosystem fisheries, and accountability measures to correct or mitigate 
any overages of catch limits. The catch limits and accountability 
measures support the long-term sustainability of fishery resources of 
the U.S. Pacific Islands.

DATES: The final specifications are effective March 8, 2012 through 
December 31, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the fishery ecosystem plans are available from the 
Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council), 1164 Bishop St., 
Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 96813, tel. (808) 522-8220, fax (808) 522-
8226, or www.wpcouncil.org. Copies of the environmental assessments and 
findings of no significant impact for this action are available from 
www.regulations.gov, or Michael D. Tosatto, Regional Administrator, 
NMFS Pacific Islands Region (PIR), 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., 1110, 
Honolulu, HI 96814.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jarad Makaiau, NMFS PIR Sustainable 
Fisheries, (808) 944-2108.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 3, 2012, NMFS published a request 
for public comments (77 FR 66) on proposed specifications that are 
finalized here. Additional background information on this action is 
found in the preamble to the proposed specifications, and is not 
repeated here.
    Through this action, NMFS specifies annual catch limits (ACLs) and 
accountability measures (AM) for bottomfish, crustacean, precious 
coral, and coral reef ecosystem fishery management unit species (MUS) 
in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ, generally 3-200 nm from 
shore) around American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands (CNMI), and Hawaii. The ACLs are specified for the 2012 
fishing year, which begins on January 1 and ends on December 31, except 
for precious coral fisheries, which began on July 1, 2011, and end on 
June 30, 2012.
    NMFS is not specifying ACLs at this time for bottomfish, 
crustacean, precious coral, or coral reef ecosystem MUS in the Pacific 
Remote Island Areas, because commercial fishing is prohibited out to 50 
nautical miles by Presidential Proclamation 8336 (establishing the 
Pacific Remote Island Marine National Monument (74 FR 1565, January 12, 
2009)), and because there is no habitat to support such fisheries in 
the EEZ beyond the monument boundaries. The Council is separately 
working on a draft amendment to the relevant FEP containing fishery 
management measures for the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National 
Monument (as well as the Rose Atoll and Mariana Trench Marine National 
Monuments). Additionally, NMFS is not specifying ACLs for MUS that are 
currently subject to Federal fishing moratoria or prohibitions. These 
include all species of gold coral (73 FR 47098, August 13, 2008), all 
species of deepwater precious corals at the Westpac Bed Refugia (75 FR 
2198, January 14, 2010), and the three Hawaii seamount groundfish: 
pelagic armorhead, alfonsin, and raftfish (75 FR 69015, November 10, 
2010). The current prohibitions on fishing for these MUS serve as a 
functional equivalent of an ACL of zero.

2012 Annual Catch Limit Specifications

                                             Table 1--American Samoa
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 Management unit
           Fishery                   species                                    ACLs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bottomfish..................  Bottomfish multi-     99,200 lb (44,996 kg).
                               species stock
                               complex.
Crustacean..................  Deepwater Shrimp....  80,000 lb (36,287 kg).
                              Spiny Lobster.......  2,300 lb (1,043 kg).

[[Page 6020]]

 
                              Slipper Lobster.....  30 lb (14 kg).
                              Kona Crab...........  3,200 lb (1,451 kg).
Precious Coral..............  Black Coral.........  1,742 lb (790 kg).
                              Precious Corals in    2,205 lb (1,000 kg).
                               the American Samoa
                               Exploratory Area.
Coral Reef Ecosystem........  Acanthuridae--surgeo  19,516 lb (8,852 kg).
                               nfish.
                              Lutjanidae--snappers  18,839 lb (8,545 kg).
                              Selar                 8,396 lb (3,808 kg).
                               crumenophthalmus--a
                               tule or bigeye scad.
                              Mollusks--turbo       16,694 lb (7,572 kg).
                               snail; octopus;
                               giant clams.
                              Carangidae--jacks...  9,490 lb (4,305 kg).
                              Lethrinidae--emperor  7,350 lb (3,334 kg).
                               s.
                              Scaridae--parrotfish  8,145 lb (3,695 kg).
                              Serranidae--groupers  5,600 lb (2,540 kg).
                              Holocentridae--squir  2,585 lb(1,173 kg).
                               relfish.
                              Mugilidae--mullets..  2,857 lb (1,296 kg).
                              Crustaceans--crabs..  2,248 lb (1,020 kg).
                              Bolbometopon          235 lb (107 kg).
                               muricatum--bumphead
                               parrotfish.
                              Cheilinus undulatus-- 1,743 lb (791 kg).
                               Humphead (Napoleon)
                               wrasse.
                              Carcharhinidae--Reef  1,309 lb (594 kg).
                               Sharks.
                              All Other CREMUS      18,910 lb (8,577 kg).
                               combined.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                       Table 2--Marianas Archipelago--Guam
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 Management unit
           Fishery                   species                                    ACLs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bottomfish..................  Bottomfish multi-     48,200 lb (21,863 kg).
                               species stock
                               complex.
Crustaceans.................  Deepwater Shrimp....  48,488 lb (21,994 kg).
                              Spiny Lobster.......  2,700 lb (1,225 kg).
                              Slipper Lobster.....  20 lb (9 kg).
                              Kona Crab...........  1,900 lb (862 kg).
Precious Coral..............  Black Coral.........  700 kg (1,543 lb).
                              Precious Corals in    1,000 kg (2,205 lb).
                               the Guam
                               Exploratory Area.
Cora Reef Ecosystem.........  Acanthuridae--surgeo  70,702 lb (32,070 kg).
                               nfish.
                              Carangidae--jacks...  45,377 lb (20,583 kg).
                              Selar                 56,514 lb (25,634 kg).
                               crumenophthalmus--a
                               tulai or bigeye
                               scad.
                              Lethrinidae--emperor  38,720 lb (17,563 kg).
                               s.
                              Scaridae--parrotfish  28,649 lb (12,995 kg).
                              Mullidae--goatfish..  25,367 lb (11,506 kg).
                              Mollusks--turbo       21,941 lb (9,952 kg).
                               snail; octopus;
                               giant clams.
                              Siganidae--rabbitfis  26,120 lb (11,848 kg).
                               h.
                              Lutjanidae--snappers  17,726 lb (8,040 kg).
                              Serranidae--groupers  17,958 lb (8,146 kg).
                              Mugilidae--mullets..  15,032 lb (6,818 kg).
                              Kyphosidae--chubs/    13,247 lb (6,009 kg).
                               rudderfish.
                              Crustaceans--crabs..  5,523 lb (2,505 kg).
                              Holocentridae--squir  8,300 lb (3,765 kg).
                               relfish.
                              Algae...............  5,329 lb (2,417 kg).
                              Labridae--wrasses...  5,195 lb (2,356 kg).
                              Bolbometopon          797 lb (362 kg) (CNMI and Guam combined).
                               muricatum--bumphead
                               parrotfish.
                              Cheilinus undulatus-- 1,960 lb (889 kg).
                               Humphead (Napoleon)
                               wrasse.
                              Carcharhinidae--Reef  6,942 lb (3,149 kg).
                               Sharks.
                              All Other CREMUS      83,214 lb (37,745 kg).
                               combined.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                       Table 3--Marianas Archipelago--CNMI
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 Management unit
           Fishery                   species                                    ACLs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bottomfish..................  Bottomfish multi-     182,500 lb (82,781 kg).
                               species stock
                               complex.
Crustacean..................  Deepwater Shrimp....  275,570 lb (124,996 kg).
                              Spiny Lobster.......  5,500 lb (2,495 kg).
                              Slipper Lobster.....  60 lb (27 kg).
                              Kona Crab...........  6,300 lb (2,858 kg).
Precious Coral..............  Black Coral.........  2,100 kg (4,630 lb).
                              Precious Corals in    1,000 kg (2,205 lb).
                               the CNMI
                               Exploratory Area.
Coral Reef Ecosystem........  Lethrinidae--emperor  27,466 lb (12,458 kg).
                               s.
                              Carangidae--jacks...  21,512 lb (9,758 kg).
                              Acanthuridae--surgeo  6,884 lb (3,123 kg).
                               nfish.
                              Selar                 7,459 lb (3,383 kg).
                               crumenophthalmus--a
                               tulai or bigeye
                               scad.
                              Serranidae--groupers  5,519 lb (2,503 kg).
                              Lutjanidae--snappers  3,905 lb (1,771 kg).
                              Mullidae--goatfish..  3,670 lb (1,665 kg).

[[Page 6021]]

 
                              Scaridae--parrotfish  3,784 lb (1,716 kg).
                              Mollusks--turbo       4,446 lb (2,017 kg).
                               snail; octopus;
                               giant clams.
                              Mugilidae--mullets..  3,308 lb (1,500 kg).
                              Siganidae--rabbitfis  2,537 lb (1,151 kg).
                               h.
                              Bolbometopon          797 lb (362 kg) (CNMI and Guam combined).
                               muricatum--bumphead
                               parrotfish.
                              Cheilinus undulatus-- 2,009 lb (911 kg).
                               Humphead (Napoleon)
                               wrasse.
                              Carcharhinidae--Reef  5,600 lb (2,540 kg).
                               Sharks.
                              All Other CREMUS      9,820 lb (4,454 kg).
                               combined.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                                 Table 4--Hawaii
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                                 Management unit
           Fishery                   species                                    ACLs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bottomfish..................  Non-Deep 7            135,000 lb (61,235 kg).
                               Bottomfish.
Crustacean..................  Deepwater Shrimp....  250,773 lb (113,749 kg).
                              Spiny Lobster.......  10,000 lb (4,536 kg).
                              Slipper Lobster.....  280 lb (127 kg).
                              Kona Crab...........  27,600 lb (12,519 kg).
Precious Coral..............  Auau Channel Black    2,500 kg (5,512 lb).
                               Coral.
                              Pink/Bamboo Coral;    2,205/551 lb (1,000/250 kg).
                               Makapuu Bed.
                              Pink/Bamboo Coral;    489/123 lb (222/56 kg).
                               180 Fathom Bank.
                              Pink/Bamboo Coral;    979/245 lb (444/111 kg).
                               Brooks Bank.
                              Pink/Bamboo Coral;    148/37 lb (67/17 kg).
                               Kaena Point Bed.
                              Pink/Bamboo Coral;    148/37 lb (67/17 kg).
                               Keahole Bed.
                              Precious Corals in    2,205 lb (1,000 kg).
                               the Hawaii
                               Exploratory Area.
Coral Reef Ecosystem........  Selar                 651,292 lb (295,421 kg).
                               crumenophthalmus--a
                               kule, bigeye scad.
                              Decapterus            393,563 lb (178,517 kg).
                               macarellus--opelu,
                               mackerel scad.
                              Carangidae--jacks...  193,423 lb (87,735 kg).
                              Mullidae--goatfish..  125,813 lb (57,068 kg).
                              Acanthuridae--surgeo  80,545 lb (36,535 kg).
                               nfish.
                              Lutjanidae--snappers  65,102 lb (29,530 kg).
                              Holocentridae--squir  44,122 lb (20,013 kg).
                               relfish.
                              Mugilidae--mullets..  41,112 lb (18,648 kg).
                              Mollusks--turbo       28,765 lb (13,048 kg).
                               snails; octopus;
                               giant clams.
                              Scaridae--parrotfish  33,326 lb (15,116 kg).
                              Crustaceans--crabs..  20,686 lb (9,383 kg).
                              Carcharhinidae--Reef  111,566 lb (50,605 kg).
                               Sharks.
                              All Other CREMUS      142,282 lb (64,538 kg).
                               combined.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    NMFS and the Council, relying on information from local resource 
management agencies in American Samoa, Guam, the CNMI, and Hawaii, will 
conduct a post-season accounting of the annual catch for each stock and 
stock complex immediately after the end of the fishing year. If an ACL 
is exceeded, the Council will take action in accordance with 50 CFR 
600.310(g), which may include a recommendation that NMFS reduce the ACL 
for the subsequent fishing year by the amount of the overage, or other 
measure, as appropriate.

Comments and Responses

    The comment period for the proposed specifications ended on January 
18, 2012. NMFS received no comments, and so is adopting the 
specifications unchanged from the proposal.

Changes From the Proposed Specifications

    There are no changes in the final specifications.

Classification

    The Regional Administrator, NMFS PIR, determined that this action 
is necessary for the conservation and management of Pacific Islands 
fishery resources, and that it is consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act and other applicable laws.
    The Chief Counsel for Regulation of the Department of Commerce 
certified to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business 
Administration during the proposed specification stage that this action 
would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of 
small entities. The factual basis for the certification was published 
in the proposed specifications and is not repeated here. No comments 
were received regarding this certification. As a result, a regulatory 
flexibility analysis was not required, and none was prepared.
    This action is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.

    Authority:  16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: February 2, 2012.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator, for Regulatory Programs, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-2753 Filed 2-6-12; 8:45 am]
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